Reconfiguration of the Ascot to Ash Vale line (updates not speculation)

[JacobWrenn]

https://www.newcivilengineer.com/la...d-railways-that-could-be-restored-18-05-2021/

Five last-minute bids have been added to the list of projects bidding for funding under the third and final round of the Restoring Your Railways ideas fund...

...The fourth is reconfiguration of the Ascot to Ash Vale line (South East) ....

It is mentioned that a bid has been submitted to the Restoring Your Railways fund for the reconfiguration of the Ascot to Ash Vale line.

Does anyone know what might be contained within the bid or what they are hoping to achieve?

 

[Ianno87]

Possibly removing or changing where the single line section is placed, to permit a better service pattern.

 

[JonathanH]

Michael Gove's website (as the local MP) says:

Following this reply, Michael wrote to Andrew Haines once more in December 2020 to enquire about the progress of the feasibility study exploring the possibility of a Frimley to Alton Chord, which would potentially greatly improve journey times for many residents.

Not sure what that entails. The word 'line' appears to have been omitted twice.

Feasibility study – Frimley to Alton Chord

Further to this, an option we’ve previously discussed to improve journeys times and provide alternative services is the Sturt Chord. Although our studies have indicated this is not a viable proposition, another solution to benefit passengers in your constituency could be to build a chord between the Frimley and Alton lines, so avoiding some of the issues generated by the Sturt Chord.

I‘ve asked our strategic planning team to instigate a specific study for your area, jointly with SWR, to establish if these are viable options in reducing journey times for passengers at Bagshot, Camberley and Frimley. This work will take around three months and I’ll be in touch again when it’s completed.

Seems therefore that there is desire for a chord facing towards London from the Frimley line onto the Alton line between Ash Vale and Pirbright Junction doing the same thing as the Sturt Chord but with a flat connection to the Alton line rather than the main line.

See https://www.michaelgove.com/campaigns/rail-services and the link to the most recent reply from which the quotes have been taken.

 

[fgwrich]

I was still none the wiser with this one even after googling Sturt Road Chord, until this popped up from 2016. Presumably it is related to the options listed in a report from Surrey Heath council produced in 2016.

 

[swt_passenger]

I was still none the wiser with this one even after googling Sturt Road Chord, until this popped up from 2016. Presumably it is related to the options in this report from Surrey Heath council produced in 2016:

https://www.surreyheath.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Visitors/CamberleyRailAssessmentReport.pdf

Sturt Road chord is an idea that just doesn’t have a practical route in the down direction.

I strongly suspect this new idea won’t happen either. It certainly doesn’t seem eligible as a “restoring your railway” project.

 

[yorkie]

If anyone wishes to speculate on what might happen, or what you think should happen, it would be great to hear your views! Please use the following thread:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/reconfiguration-of-the-ascot-to-ash-vale-line-what-improvements-could-or-should-be-made.218326/

Thanks

 

[alf]

I have seen this new chord via the Alton line suggested ages ago on the forum.
Frimley & Ascot to Waterloo via the Sturt chord would be faster than via Staines.
But the handicap is down Frimley trains from via Woking having to cross the up main lines from Basingstoke to get onto the Sturt Chord. That may be why the track was lifted in the last century.

The conflict in the down direction can be avoided with no house demolition.

Trains to Alton from Brookwood traverses pine tree health land, basically a large sand pit.
After going through a tunnel a branch from the down line could swing round through empty heath to the frimley line from Ash Vale. It is a non conflict route apart from crossing the up Alton line.
Ascot, Bagshot & Camberly have had huge population growth.

Sadly at the moment this excellent idea is in the speculative ideas drawer.